17. Lucas
“I told you to leave it alone!” I yell at my father.
“It’s about time you listened to me. You need to find a wife and settle down.”
“Why? It’s not like I bring any shame to you. I play hockey and come home.”
“And drink.”
I raise the bourbon in my hand that Stanton handed me before he told me he had a surprise for me later. Then he left to pick up his date, and I stayed to argue once again with my father. “It helps me to forget everything.”
“You have a good life. What the hell do you need to forget?” my father yells.
“Everything. You. The fact you ruin everybody’s life.”
“If you’re talking about your brother, then forget it. He ruined his own life. He couldn’t hack being in finance. But then at least his career was admirable.”
I glare at my father, but it’s not the first time he has been disparaging about my choosing to play sport for a living rather than a financial job in the city. “Low blow.”
“Honest,” he retorts.
“How is this for honesty? Levi left because of you, not because he couldn’t hack his job. He left because of your expectations, because of the demands you put on him. The same demands you are now putting on me. But I’m not Levi, because...” I pause as I stare at him. His back is against a floor to ceiling window which has views of Central Park behind him.
“Because—“ Father looks around my apartment. “You have everything because of me. This apartment is owned by me.”
“Stanton and I can afford to pay the rent,” I hiss.
He shakes his head. “I’m prepared to make a deal.”
His deals only ever suit him. He’s the reason my brother fled not long after he tried to make his last deal.
“Go on.”
Dad strides forward until the toes of his black leather shoes touch my bare feet, and we’re eye to eye, even if it means he needs to look up to me. Normally, he prefers to stand a little away for that reason, but this time, he must feel confident.
“Marry Raine, and I’ll give you this apartment. I’ll sign it over to you the day you sign the marriage certificate.”
“No.” I don’t hesitate as I answer.
I can’t. The moment I let him buy me, I’ll owe him for the rest of my life.
“And when you give me a grandchild, I’ll give you fifty million dollars.”
“Jesus...” I hiss, rubbing my hand over my chin. “Why the fuck does this union mean so much to you?”
He smiles. “Her father is very influential... President influential.”
I shake my head, walking away. “Is this what you offered Levi? Is that the real reason he disappeared?”
“No, your brother’s eyes would never flicker the way yours did if I offered him what I’ve just offered you,” he gloats. “He left when he realized money wasn’t his goal.”
“And what was?”
“He wanted to travel the world until he met the omega who was his.”
“Admirable.”
“Stupid... Who gives a fuck if the woman is yours or not? Who cares about scent matching and finding soulmates?”
I think about Scarlett. Not only the way her body melded against mine, but also her gorgeous scent. Sometimes I think I smell her around me, but I know it’s my overactive mind.
She felt like mine.
Albeit, briefly.
“We both know that you care about yourself and nothing else.” I smirk at his snarling mouth. He needs what I can give him. “Maybe if you didn’t have your head so far up other senator’s asses, you’d find the time to seek your omega.”
The words come out faster than I expected and without warning, his fist rears back, then quickly forward as it smashes into my cheek.
“Fuck!” I grimace, my hand covering the sting. “I think you broke my cheekbone, you bastard.”
“Your mother was enough. I didn’t need a scent match.”
Shame you fucked around and she left you then. I want to say it out loud, but what’s the point? And I’m happy my mother found her scent match and left my dick of a father, and now lives in North Carolina with her alpha, and having the time of her life.
I turn and stride to the mirror on the opposite side of the room. My face is red and swelling on one side. There’s no doubt tomorrow I’ll have a black eye. I press my fingers over a slight cut he made with his ring and say, “I’ve got a charity gala to attend tonight.”
“Your body gets beaten up every time you go on the ice. That’s nothing...” He stops talking, but I know there’s a sentence lingering on his tongue. Words he chooses not to continue. I know it’ll be some type of threat and I really want to goad him into continuing, but I’m scared to know how far he’s prepared to go to get what he wants.
But instead of giving me his wrath, he says, “Take Raine to the gala. Just give her a chance.”
“No, she isn’t my omega. I’m not leading her on.”
“How do you know? Take her with you tonight and see how the two of you get on, and...” He blows out a breath while glancing at the ceiling. “Her father will see you’ve given her a chance.”
“But...”
He holds his palm to me. “One date. A few hours of your time, and I’ll give you a million dollars.”
“Everything has a price, doesn’t it?”
“You’ll realize in the end that money is the only thing worth fighting for.”
I chuckle. “Okay. Two million and I’ll take her, but I want the money transferred before you make the call.”
“Deal.”
It was nice seeing my bank account swelling for what I see is only three to four hours of work, because this omega smiling at me is just that.
A job.
One paid for by my father.
She does nothing for me, but that’s my father’s problem, not mine, when he realizes his plan didn’t work.
But I’ll be kind. I treat her like a princess for the night, because I’m not a monster and I want my father to know I tried.
And tonight is a great opportunity for Raine to forget about me once and for all.
“Are you ready?” I ask, when the chauffeur opens the door outside the grand room of the hotel. “It shouldn’t be too painful. Since the new owner, Aiden Ramsay, met Holly, he’s become an avid fundraiser. And tonight Holly has organized a dinner and auction to raise funds for a number of children’s hospitals.” This is one of the fancier fund raisers where everyone pays a fortune for a meal and gets to sit with one of the team.
“I already know about it. My father told me about it. I’m looking forward to it.” Raine’s voice is sickly sweet, as is the smile she follows it with. “My father is pleased you’re finally coming around to the idea of us.”
I think of everything I agreed with my father, but I’m not giving her anything more. “I’m happy to see if we’re compatible.”
“Oh,” she whispers. “I thought...”
“I’m sure you don’t want to spend your life with someone who doesn’t want you, and I feel the same way,” I say, holding out my arm for her to take. “Let’s see how tonight goes.”
We walk into the main foyer, where the cameraman makes us stand in front of the charity backdrop and takes some photos for the events pages and the press.
“Smile,” the cameraman says.
Her blue eyes meet mine for a moment, before she turns to the camera, her lips turn into a wide grin, then she turns to me and links my arm. “I want you. I’ve wanted you for three years. Ever since we first met.”
I close my eyes and internally groan.
It’s almost like I can smell Scarlett in the air when I say, “No, you won’t. Because when you meet a scent matched alpha, you’ll leave me.” My words are harsh, but it’s because I hate that Scarlett never admitted my scent was the same one I could smell on her.
“I like your smell,” Raine says.
“Like... That’s not enough. You need to want to swim in it. You need to want to change your life and do things you never thought you ever would, because that person is all you ever want.” I pause a beat, trying to steady my emotions, something I’ve found so hard to do lately. “And damn the consequences.”
“Oh!”
“Exactly. My scent, or any alpha’s scent, isn’t enough. You’re an omega Raine. You’re special. Find your alpha, or let him find you. Don’t let your father determine your happiness.”
She smiles, but it isn’t real. Her eyes don’t shine like they did when I turned up in the car. “Take me through my next heat. You might look at me differently.”
Fuck!
“I won’t...”
“Lucas. Where the fuck have you been?” Stanton yells. He’s a hell of a lot happier today standing with Jenson and Colton as they drink bourbon near the bar.
I take hold of Raine’s hand and walk to my teammates. “I’ll give you what I promised, but nothing after tonight.”
She sighs.
“And who is your lovely lady?” Jenson asks. Smiling from me to Raine. “Everyone has a date except me. Even Stanton and Carver brought someone.”
Stanton talks as my nose twitches in the air. It’s like her smell follows me everywhere.
“What’s her name?” I ask Stanton. “Your date?”
“Grace,” he says, staring at me, and I’m sure there’s a smirk lifting on his lips. “And she is Colton’s… Girlfriend’s... Sister.” He emphasizes every damn word like he wants it embedded in my brain. “And she’s fucking gorgeous, funny, and I’m in love.” He laughs, but there’s something he’s omitting—I can tell. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
“Leave her alone,” Colton grunts. “She’s too good for your dirty dick. Anyway, I’m trying to get her and Carver together. But Carver wants nothing to do with anyone that I suggest. Harlow had to twist his arm to bring her sister, Bardot.”
“Just so everyone knows, I’ve cleaned up my act.” Stanton’s face looks like he is about to erupt. “Stop saying I’m a fuck boy, if she hears it.”
“She only has to read all about you on social media, and she’ll soon find out what you are,” Colton says.
I nod lightly. I told him that one day it would bite him on his ass. “I’m going to have a walk around, and then I’ll come back.” I don’t want to take Raine, but she’s holding onto my arm and not letting go. “You can stay here and chat with them if you want to.”
“No. This is our date.”
I sigh. “Okay.”
We walk down the corridor toward the ballroom, where the dinner will take place. Hundreds of guests are mulling around the area chatting, some laughing and drinking as we walk past.
I wave at my coach, who is talking with his wife, Aiden Ramsay, and his wife, Holly, and I should stop and say hello, but I can’t. I need to follow the scent that is filling my lungs.
After maneuvering through more people, I push on the double doors to the ballroom and stare around the room. It’s filled with at least twenty-five, ten-seater round tables all prepared with white linen cloth edged in gold with matching gold cutlery on the tables and a centerpiece of white lilies and roses.
“What are you looking for?” Raine asks.
I shake my head as I look around the empty room once more. “Nothing. Let’s get a drink.”
“Thank you. I need one.”
I open the door, and we stroll back to the bar. I’m grateful for the noise as we walk back to the bar, because it means I don’t need to make small talk with my date.
I open the door and say, “Champagne? We’ve got ten minutes before the auction takes place and dinner will be in around an hour.”
“Thanks. I’m going to the restrooms before my father gets here.”
“Your father?”
She smiles. “Didn’t your dad tell you? He’s coming too. They’re supporting the charity tonight.”
“No.” It comes out as a deep grunt. My father goes to plenty of charity events, but I know why he is coming to this one.
She smiles. “I won’t be long.”
“Take as long as you need,” I say and return her smile.
Forever.